104 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Fei5. 1. 



But they are deceived. It never will be done, 

 so that "the product can be told from the 



genuine. 



Remembeu the Ohio State Bet-keepers" con- 

 vention at Cincinnati. announceintMits and pro- 

 gram of which are given elsewhere. Nothing 

 preventing, we expect to be represented by J. T. 

 Calvert. VVe have been informed that Dr. C. C. 

 Miller will be there also. His presence insures 

 a good meeting. 



The last letter from A. I. Root was to the ef- 

 fect that he was over his nervous chills, and 

 was quite himself again. One day he walked 

 eight miles and another thirteen, climbing the 

 mountains. But our fatherly advice in another 

 column (now on the press) still holds good. We 

 want him to get permanently well and so save 

 himself for many years of usefulness. 



The watchword has always been, "Order 

 early;" yet, in spite of this sensible advice, bee- 

 keepers fail to get their supplies in time, even 

 though their dealer is prompt in making ship- 

 ment. A customer to whom we made a ship- 

 ment of goods some two months ago. and who 

 has not vet received them, even though we 

 have sent two tracers, wrote us, "What would 

 I do if this were the honey season? or, worse 

 still, in the height, without any goods? lam 

 mighty glad I ordered early, for there will be 

 some chance of my getting them in time yet." 

 Bee-keepers, no matter of whom they order 

 their goods, should remember that freight ship- 

 ments are sometimes delayed or lost. It some- 

 times takes a couple of months to recover goods, 

 and sometimes even four. 



Some of our customers even yet do not quite 

 understand why we require cash or reference of 

 those with whom we have nevei' had any deal. 

 Perhaps some of these people are bee-keepers 

 whom we have met at conventions, and with 

 whom we have enjoyed pleasant chats. It 

 seems a little hard to refuse them credit; but 

 the strict rules of business require that we 

 know whether such a person is responsible in 

 money matters, a man may be affable and 

 pleasant— in fact, a leader in society, and, we 

 are sorry to say. in a few cases, a leader in the 

 church, and yet be very poor pay. If our 

 friends would only understand that, even 

 though they are perfectly responsible, we must 

 liave some "evidence of it. and that, when we 

 requii-e cash or i-eferences, we do not necessarily 

 impeach their honesty, it would save trouble. 



One of our subscribers. Mr. F. J. Miller, of 

 London, Ontario, Canada, writes: 



Has not A. E. Miiimm loCDVered yet from liis hon- 

 eymoon seiisoii V Surely tluit '" queen " is receiving 

 more than usuiil eai-e. or lie would luive found time 

 to let us know liow he succeeded with those five 

 apiaries alone. No wonder he required help before 

 the season was over. 



Mr. Manum promised, some two or three 

 months ago. to write again, and we trust now 

 that he will resume his pen, seeing that the 

 invitation has been renewed. This is not the 

 first inquiry we have had from subscribers, by 

 any means', and we trust that his new queen 

 will spur him up to duty. Ye.s, wo do want to 

 know how he got along with those live apiaries 

 alone. There was a tolerably good honey-flow 

 in Vermont last season, and we are anxious to 

 know all about it. 



We take great pride in our short symposium, 

 in this issue, on the subject, "A Bounty on Hon- 

 ey." It is a cause of congratulation to bee- 

 keepers that they have among their number 

 men who are able to discuss these deep and 

 weighty questions in so admirable and candid a 



way. The discussion on both sides is very fair- 

 ly and well sustained, and we hold our columns 

 open for its further consideration. Pei'liaps 

 some of our readers would like to know our 

 own individual opinion. As Gi.eaxings is 

 neither sectarian nor partisan, we think it wise 

 to withhold, at least for the present, our own 

 position. We are sure a little further discus- 

 sion will, in any event, reveal the right or jus- 

 tice of the thing, one way or the other. There 

 is one thing, however, we ought to say: and 

 that is, bee-keepers should look beyond their 

 own interests enough to consider the geneial 

 public good. So many selfish and conflicting 

 interests are the bane of our politics. 



the locality of g.\i!i)ex city. kax.. as a 



bee-country; a little ai>vice to 



the bee-kkepeks who move to 



PASTUKKS >EW. 



Two or three months ago one of our corre- 

 spondents spoke very highly of the region round 

 about Garden City, Kan., as a bee-country, 

 stating that colonies would average 90 lbs. of the 

 very nicest honey, that as high as 180 lbs. had 

 been secured in some cases, and that alfalfa 

 was on the increase. A resident bee-keeper 

 sent in a communication which we published 

 shortly after, protesting that their country M-as 

 no better than many places in the East; that 

 bee-keepers would be disappointed if they came 

 there with any great expectancy of obtaining 

 great things. Since the appearance of these 

 two articles we have received a number of com- 

 munications from parties on both sides of the 

 controversy: and as much of it is too personal, 

 and as both sides have luid a hearing, we think 

 best to have the discussion stop where it is. 

 Perhaps we ought to say this: That any bee- 

 keeper who would rush into a new bee-country 

 that has been loudly applauded, without nuik- 

 ing proper investigation, such as writing to a 

 number of resident bee-keepers, would be. we 

 were going to say. a fool; but perhaps " foolish 

 man " would be a more respectable term. Well, 

 there is truth on both sides of the controversy 

 relative to Garden City. As nearly as Me can 

 make out, it is something like" this: Two 

 knights of old. riding along the I'oad. met under 

 a suspended shield, one side of which was red 

 and the other blue. After a fight in regard to 

 the color, they discovered that theywei'e both 

 right. They had not examined hDtli sidcx of the 

 shield. Although only a little of the Garden 

 City controversy has appeared in our columns, 

 we wish to say to all parties concerned that we 

 believe there fs truth on l)oth sides. It makes 

 all the difference on whirJi side of the shield we 

 are looking. This same thing happened over A. 

 ,J. King's graphic coloring of Arizona, as seen 

 on page Cc'S of last year. No sooner was it pub- 

 lished than his bright colors were greatly shad- 

 ed by a letter from J. W. Johnson, on page 7<)»3; 

 and on page 7(i5. same issue. Mr. King has an- 

 other enthusiastic lettei' in regard to Arizona, 

 hut not so much so as his first one. 



:M1!. and MRS. A. I. ROOT S CONTE.VIPL.\TED 

 VISIT TO FLORIDA. 



Within the past few weeks the whole rem- 

 nant of Rootville have, in their letters, been 

 urging Mr. and Mrs. Root to prolong their trip 

 in California. The weather has been so very 

 cold here in Ohio. and. as the senior editor's 

 health since he has been away has not been of 

 the best, we made up our minds, now that he 

 was already in the land of flowers and perpetu- 

 al sunshine, it would be folly for him to rush 

 home again before the C^ifornia climate and 

 its surroundings could have its legitimate effect 

 in dispersing his chills. It has always been 

 his habit to be on the rush wherever he has 



